Rick Mears

Rick Mears

Mears at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in March 2011
Nationality American
Born Rick Ravon Mears
December 3, 1951 (1951-12-03) (age 65)
Wichita, Kansas, U.S.
Awards 1979, 1984, 1988, 1991 Indianapolis 500 Winner
Champ Car career
179 races run over 14 years
Years active 19791992
Team(s) Penske Racing
Best finish 1st (1979, 1981, 1982)
First race 1979 Arizona Republic Jimmy Bryan 150 (Phoenix)
Last race 1992 Marlboro 500 (Michigan)
First win 1979 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis
Last win 1991 Marlboro 500 (Michigan)
Wins Podiums Poles
26 68 38
Mears' 1991 Penske PC-20 Indy Car

Rick Ravon Mears (born December 3, 1951 in Wichita, Kansas) is a retired American race car driver. He is one of three men to be four-time winners of the Indianapolis 500 (1979, 1984, 1988, 1991), and the current record-holder for pole positions in the race with six (1979, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991). Mears is also a three-time Indycar series/World Series champion (1979, 1981 and 1982).

Biography

Early years

Mears was raised in Bakersfield, California, and began his racing career in off-road racing. He switched to Indy Car racing in the late 1970s, making his debut for the small Art Sugai team, driving an Eagle-Offenhauser. His speed attracted the attention of Roger Penske. Although at the time Penske Racing had the services of Mario Andretti and Tom Sneva. Andretti was also racing in Formula One with Lotus at the time but Penske wanted another young driver who would focus exclusively on American racing. For 1978, Mears was offered a part-time ride in nine of the 18 championship races, filling in when Andretti was overseas. The arrangement also included a ride at the Indianapolis 500.

In his rookie appearance at Indy, Mears qualified on the front row, and was the first rookie to qualify over 200 mph. When the race began, Mears discovered his helmet was not strapped on tight enough and he had to pit to get it safely secured. He did not lead a lap and retired at 104 laps with a blown engine. He ended up sharing "Rookie of the Year" honors with Larry Rice. Two weeks later, at the Rex Mays 150, he won his first race. He added another win a month later at Atlanta and rounded off the year with his first road course win at Brands Hatch.

1979

In 1979 the National Championship sanction changed from the USAC to CART. At Indianapolis he won his first "500", staying at the front of the field, taking advantage when Bobby Unser fell out of contention with mechanical trouble. Three wins and four second places in the eleven CART-eligible races won Mears his first championship. His worst finish in the season was seventh in Trenton's second heat.

1980

In 1980 the ground effect Chaparral was technologically more advanced than the other chassis, and Johnny Rutherford drove it to his 3rd Indianapolis 500 win, going on to dominate the season. Mears finished in fourth place in the points with one win, scored at Mexico City.

In 1980 Mears had tested a Formula One Brabham and he declined an offer.

1981–1982

The 1981 and 1982 seasons saw two more championships for Mears. Despite facial burns during a pit fire in the 1981 Indianapolis 500, Mears' ten race victories in the two-year span were enough for another two Indycar championship titles. At the 1982 Indianapolis 500 he came within 0.16 of a second of adding a second Indy win. With less than 20 laps to go, during Mears' final pit stop, the crew filled the entire tank rather than giving him only the amount he needed to finish. The delay left him more than 11 seconds behind Gordon Johncock. Mears made up the difference when Johncock suffered handling problems, but failed to secure the win. The photo-finish would stand for 10 years as the closest finish to an Indy 500. The photo-finish also muffled out the controversial pace-lap crash with teammate Kevin Cogan who appeared to have spun out for no apparent reason; fellow drivers such as Gordon Johncock, Johnny Rutherford, and Bobby Unser, charged Mears with causing the crash by bringing the field down at a slow pace.

1983–1984

For 1983 the Penske team would acquire the Pennzoil sponsorship with its yellow paint scheme. Teammate Al Unser took that year's title. The team switched to the March chassis for the 1984 Indianapolis 500 after the Penske chassis proved unsuccessful in the first two races of the year. Mears scored his second Indy win that May but suffered severe leg injuries later in the year in a crash at Sanair. The March chassis, like most contemporary open-wheel racing cars, sat the driver far forward in the nose, with little protection for the legs and feet.

1985–1987

After the Sanair crash, Mears was slowed by the injuries to his right foot that affected him throughout the remainder of his career. Over the next three seasons, he won only two races. He completed a comeback from his injuries by winning the 1985 Pocono 500. In 1986, he won the pole position for the Indy 500, but finished only 3rd. He also won the 1987 Pocono 500.

1988–1990

In 1988, after several years using the March chassis, the Penske team utilized a new car, the PC-17, with a Chevrolet racing engine. Mears used the new car to win the Indy 500. A year later, he took a record-setting fifth pole position at Indy, but retired from the race with mechanical problems. Emerson Fittipaldi took the 500 and also beat Mears to the Championship in the last race at Laguna Seca Raceway, despite Mears winning that race. Also, that last race of 1989 set Mears apart from all other Indycar racers as he broke a tie with Bobby Rahal for race wins and became the most successful Indycar racer of the 1980s. In his winner's circle interview, when asked about breaking his road course dry spell when his specialty has been ovals through the years, he replied to Jack Arute, "Well, I guess there is hope for us old circle track drivers after all."

Fittipaldi joined Mears at Penske for 1990, but the year belonged to Al Unser, Jr., who scored six wins. 1990 would be Mears' last in the Pennzoil paint scheme as Marlboro took over as sponsor of the team, and Jim Hall re-entered Indycar.

1991–1992

In 1991 during a practice session Mears hit the wall at Indianapolis for the first time in his career. The next day, he climbed into his backup car and claimed his record 6th career pole position. Twenty laps from the end of the 500, it looked like Mears was set to be the runner-up behind Michael Andretti. However, when a subsequent yellow flag period erased Andretti's 15-second lead, Mears gained the lead as Andretti opted to pit for fuel. It would be a short-lived lead as Andretti passed Mears around the outside into the first turn. A lap later Mears regained the lead, using the same move Andretti had. Turning up his turbocharger, he then pulled away to win a fourth Indy 500, making him one of only three individuals to do so. In August 1991, at Michigan, he won his last race. At the 1992 Indy 500 Mears broke a wrist in a crash during practice and then crashed out of the race for the first time in his career as he could not avoid Jim Crawford's spinning car in turn 1. He raced only four more times in 1992, and then announced his retirement from racing Indycars at the Penske team's Christmas party. No one except Penske himself and Rick's wife, Chris, knew of his plans to retire. He had just turned 41 years old.

As of 2016, Rick Mears continues to work as a consultant and spotter for Helio Castroneves and Penske Racing, the team with which he won all of his Indycar races.

He is the brother of Roger Mears, father of off-road racer, Clint Mears, and the uncle of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Casey Mears, also born in Bakersfield.

Awards

Trivia

Motorsports career results

American Open-Wheel racing

USAC

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

Year Team Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Rank Points
1976 Bill Simpson Eagle 72 Offenhauser L4t PHX TRE INDY MIL POC MCH TWS TRE MIL ONT
8
MCH 16th 390
Art Sugai TWS
9
PHX
9
1977 Art Sugai Eagle 72 Offenhauser L4t ONT
24
PHX
DNQ
TWS
15
TRE INDY
DNQ
MIL 20th 555
Theodore Racing McLaren M16C/D POC
30
MOS MCH
6
TWS
7
MIL
5
ONT
26
MCH
8
PHX
1978 Team Penske Penske PC-6 Cosworth DFX V8t PHX
5
ONT TWS TRE INDY
23
MOS
2
MIL
1
POC MCH
22
ATL
1
TWS
9
MIL
2
ONT
9
MCH TRE SIL
2
BRH
1
PHX 9th 2171

CART Series

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

Year Team Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Rank Points
1979 Team Penske Penske PC-7 Cosworth DFX V8t PHX
2
ATL
5
ATL
2
MCH
4
MCH
5
TRE
1
ONT
2
MCH
3
ATL
1
PHX
3
1st 4060
Penske PC-6 INDY
1
TRE
5
TRE
7
WGL
2
1980 Team Penske Penske PC-7 Cosworth DFX V8t ONT
21
4th 2866
Penske PC-9 INDY
5
MIL
5
POC
12
MDO
9
MCH
4
WGL
2
MIL
2
ONT
3
MCH
3
MEX
1
PHX
7
1981 Team Penske Penske PC-9B Cosworth DFX V8t PHX
4
MIL ATL
1
ATL
1
MCH
3
RIV
1
MIL
2
MCH
1
WGL
1
MEX
1
PHX
8
1st 304
1982 Team Penske Penske PC-10 Cosworth DFX V8t PHX
1
ATL
1
MIL
3
CLE
4
MCH
15
MIL
12
POC
1
RIV
1
ROA
5
MCH
25
PHX
2
1st 294
1983 Team Penske Penske PC-11 Cosworth DFX V8t ATL
8
INDY
3
MIL
3
CLE
7
MCH
4
ROA
17
6th 92
Penske PC-10B POC
3
RIV
19
MDO
9
MCH
1
CPL
13
LAG
21
PHX
17
1984 Team Penske Penske PC-12 Cosworth DFX V8t LBH
21
PHX
18
5th 110
March 84C INDY
1
MIL
2
POR
10
MEA
10
CLE
4
MCH
3
ROA
4
POC
2
MDO
5
SAN
DNS
MCH PHX LAG CPL
1985 Team Penske March 85C Cosworth DFX V8t LBH INDY
21
MIL
3
POR MEA CLE MCH
30
ROA POC
1
MDO SAN MCH
2
LAG PHX MIA 10th 51
1986 Team Penske March 86C Cosworth DFX V8t PHX
19
INDY
3
MIL
3
POR
16
CLE
4
TOR
8
MCH
12
POC
8
8th 89
Penske PC-15 Chevrolet 265A V8t LBH
20
MEA
19
SAN
18
LAG
17
MIA
3
March 86C MDO
17
MCH
8
ROA
3
PHX
20
1987 Team Penske Penske PC-16 Chevrolet 265A V8t LBH
9
PHX
20
POR
3
MEA
18
CLE
7
TOR
10
5th 102
March 86C INDY
23
MIL
21
MCH
21
POC
1
ROA
9
MDO
4
NAZ
3
LAG
3
MIA
5
1988 Team Penske Penske PC-17 Chevrolet 265A V8t PHX
22
LBH
8
INDY
1
MIL
1
POR
6
CLE
23
TOR
6
MEA
3
MCH
13
POC
23
MDO
3
ROA
12
NAZ
7
LAG
5
MIA
2
4th 129
1989 Team Penske Penske PC-18 Chevrolet 265A V8t PHX
1
LBH
5
INDY
23
MIL
1
DET
5
POR
8
CLE
5
MEA
4
TOR
5
MCH
7
POC
2
MDO
6
ROA
3
NAZ
2
LAG
1
2nd 186
1990 Team Penske Penske PC-19 Chevrolet 265A V8t PHX
1
LBH
6
INDY
5
MIL
2
DET
4
POR
5
CLE
8
MEA
2
TOR
12
MCH
14
DEN
7
VAN
4
MDO
7
ROA
3
NAZ
2
LAG
4
3rd 168
1991 Team Penske Penske PC-20 Chevrolet 265A V8t SRF
3
LBH
4
PHX
5
INDY
1
MIL
15
DET
5
POR
6
CLE
17
MEA
3
TOR
20
MCH
1
DEN
8
VAN
6
MDO
6
ROA
15
NAZ
15
LAG
5
4th 145
1992 Team Penske Penske PC-21 Chevrolet 265B V8t SRF
2
PHX
8
LBH
6
INDY
26
DET POR
7
MIL
16
NHA
4
TOR MCH
16
CLE ROA VAN MDO NAZ LAG 13th 47

Indianapolis 500 results

Year Chassis Engine Start Finish Note Team
1977 Eagle 72 Offenhauser L4t DNQ Did not qualify Art Sugai
1978 Penske PC-6 Cosworth DFX V8t 3 23 Engine Failure Team Penske
1979 Penske PC-6 Cosworth DFX V8t 1 1 Running Team Penske
1980 Penske PC-9 Cosworth DFX V8t 6 5 Running Team Penske
1981 Penske PC-9B Cosworth DFX V8t 22 30 Pit lane fire Team Penske
1982 Penske PC-10 Cosworth DFX V8t 1 2 Running Team Penske
1983 Penske PC-11 Cosworth DFX V8t 3 3 Running Team Penske
1984 March 84C Cosworth DFX V8t 3 1 Running Team Penske
1985 March 85C Cosworth DFX V8t 10 21 Gear linkage Team Penske
1986 March 86C Cosworth DFX V8t 1 3 Running Team Penske
1987 March 86C Chevrolet 265A V8t 3 23 Ignition Team Penske
1988 Penske PC-17 Chevrolet 265A V8t 1 1 Running Team Penske
1989 Penske PC-18 Chevrolet 265A V8t 1 23 Engine failure Team Penske
1990 Penske PC-19 Chevrolet 265A V8t 2 5 Running Team Penske
1991 Penske PC-20 Chevrolet 265A V8t 1 1 Running Team Penske
1992 Penske PC-21 Chevrolet 265B V8t 9 26 Crash Team Penske

Indy 500 qualifying results

Year Att # Date Time Qual
Day
Car # Laps Qual
Time
Qual
Speed
Rank Start Comment
1977 85 05-22 16:02 4 90 1 Incomplete run; pulled off
96 05-22 17:21 4 90 2 Incomplete run; waved off
1978 10 05-20 12:13 1 71 4 2:59.93 200.078 4 3  
1979 34 05-13 16:39 1 9 4 3:05.82 193.736 1 1  
1980 1 05-10 11:05 1 1 4 3:12.01 187.490 7 6  
1981 34 05-16 13:41 1 6 2 Incomplete run; pulled off
53 05-16 15:52 2 68 4 3:05.55 194.018 10 22  
1982 2 05-15 11:09 1 1 4 2:53.91 207.004 1 1 1 and 4 lap track records
1983 7 05-21 11:39 1 2 4 2:56.211 204.301 3 3  
1984 2 05-12 12:25 1 6 4 2:53.204 207.847 3 3  
1985 29 05-11 17:10 1 1 4 2:51.595 209.796 10 10  
1986 9 05-10 12:40 1 4 4 2:46.030 216.828 1 1 1 and 4 lap track records
1987 3 05-09 11:19 1 81T 4 2:50.239 211.467 3 3  
1988 23 05-14 13:58 1 5 4 2:44.235 219.198 1 1 1 and 4 lap track records
1989 20 05-14 14:09 1 4 4 2:40.797 223.885 1 1 1 and 4 lap track records
1990 6 05-13 16:57 1 2 4 2:40.560 224.215 2 2  
1991 16 05-11 12:51 1 3T 4 2:40.633 224.113 2 1  
1992 21 05-09 17:48 1 4 4 2:40.289 224.594 10 9  

International Race of Champions

(key) (Bold – Pole position. * – Most laps led.)

Books

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rick Mears.
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Jerry Sneva
Indianapolis 500
Rookie of the Year

1978
With Larry Rice
Succeeded by
Howdy Holmes
Preceded by
Al Unser
Indianapolis 500
Winner

1979
Succeeded by
Johnny Rutherford
Preceded by
Tom Sneva
Indianapolis 500
Winner

1984
Succeeded by
Danny Sullivan
Preceded by
Al Unser
Indianapolis 500
Winner

1988
Succeeded by
Emerson Fittipaldi
Preceded by
Arie Luyendyk
Indianapolis 500
Winner

1991
Succeeded by
Al Unser, Jr.
Preceded by
None
PPG Indycar World Series
Champion

1979
Succeeded by
Johnny Rutherford
Preceded by
Johnny Rutherford
PPG Indycar World Series
Champion

1981-1982
Succeeded by
Al Unser
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